XME02: Emergence
by N'kala
Summary: 2nd in my AU series. Scott's powers emerge, and several people are interested in them.


Title: Emergence  
  
Author: N'kala99  
  
Rating: G, AU  
  
Disclaimer: If they were mine, would I be publishing for free???  
  
Summary: Second installment. Scott's powers appear, and more than one party are   
  
interested in him.  
  
Author's Notes: Again, this is my own version of X-Men: Evolution, so if you like   
  
things the way they are, then don't read this. It would seriously help to read A New   
  
Beginning first, but I guess you don't have to. Also- I seem to have made Scott's   
  
birthday in June. I don't know if it is, but it is in my series. ? I'm trying to make   
  
him 17 in 2003, so in the spring of '99, I figure him to be about 12-years-old.  
  
Emergence  
  
By: N'kala99  
  
Bayville, New York  
  
Spring, 1999  
  
"Runt! Come back here!"  
  
Twelve-year-old Scott Summers skidded down the hall as he   
  
tried to turn a corner. He could hear Logan behind him, chasing   
  
him. He knew he'd been tempting fate when he replaced Logan's   
  
toothpaste with blue dye, but Logan deserved it after putting green   
  
dye in his shampoo.  
  
Scott slid down the banister with practiced ease and raced out   
  
the door, laughing aloud. He glanced behind him to check and see   
  
where Logan was when he ran into something hard and fell onto the   
  
ground. Looking up, he found Logan glaring down at him, his arms   
  
crossed. Scott's jaw dropped open in shock.  
  
"B-But . . . you . . . how?" he stammered.  
  
Logan grasped a handful of the front of Scott's shirt and lifted   
  
the boy into the air. "Never underestimate me, Runt. Now, I'd like   
  
to know exactly what you thought you were doing by putting that   
  
dye in my toothpaste."  
  
Scott knew he should be afraid, but the sight of Logan's blue   
  
teeth had him shaking with poorly disguised laughter.  
  
"Oh, you think this is funny, do ya?" Logan said. "Well, let's   
  
see how funny you think it is when you have blue teeth."  
  
Scott stopped laughing almost immediately. "Hey!" he cried   
  
out in protest. "That's not fair! You died my hair green! You had it   
  
coming!"  
  
"I'll say one thing for ya, Runt," Logan replied, carrying Scott   
  
back into the house. "You've got guts."  
  
"Does that mean you won't dye my teeth blue?" Scott asked in   
  
a small voice.  
  
Logan snorted. "Fat chance. How long do I have to wait   
  
before it wears off?"  
  
"Um . . . about . . ." The rest of Scott's words trailed off into an   
  
unintelligible mumble.  
  
"What's that?" Logan growled.  
  
"A, uh, week," Scott said, bracing himself for the explosion.  
  
He wasn't disappointed. "A WEEK?" Logan bellowed. "That   
  
does it, Runt. You just brought a plague of pestilence down on your   
  
head. Sleep with one eye open tonight, kid."  
  
"Logan? Could you put my son down for a moment and come   
  
here? I need to talk to you."  
  
Logan, who had made it to the entrance hall, looked up the   
  
stairs at Charles. "But Charles-."  
  
"No buts, Logan," Charles interrupted firmly. "I'm sure you   
  
can find him later; after all, you know where he sleeps. I need you   
  
now."  
  
Logan huffed in frustration, eyes skittering around the large   
  
room before settling on a coat rack. Carrying Scott's struggling   
  
form, he hooked Scott's shirt onto one of the hooks, leaving him   
  
hanging on the rack. "Stay put, Runt," he said. "I'll be right back."  
  
"No fair!" Scott shouted. "Let me down!"  
  
Logan ignored him and took the stairs two at a time to join   
  
Charles. Scott watched him go, then swung his legs out. His   
  
momentum and his weight caused the coat rack to tip over, freeing   
  
him. Fixing the coat rack, Scott slipped back out the door and   
  
climbed up his favorite tree next to the driveway.  
  
Something large and dark caught his eye as it soared through   
  
the air. Scott looked up, hoping to catch sight of it, but it had   
  
disappeared behind the mansion.  
  
Curious, Scott jumped out of his tree and ran around back. He   
  
slowed down and crouched behind a bush, looking around for   
  
something out of the ordinary. He was about to chalk it all up to an   
  
overactive imagination when he saw Ororo appear from behind a   
  
tree. She was wearing a strange bluish-purple uniform with a cape   
  
and white boots. Scott watched as she raised her hands into the air.   
  
At first, he thought she was going to do some kind of bizarre dance,   
  
but a sudden wind began to whip around Ororo. He eyes began to   
  
glow an eerie white. Scott looked on in astonishment as a black   
  
rain cloud formed over Ororo's head and poured a quick torrent of   
  
rain over the tree. The cloud then moved around to water the other   
  
plants in the backyard, seemingly under the control of Ororo. When   
  
Ororo started to head his way, Scott began to panic. For some   
  
reason, he didn't want to be discovered, so he ran.  
  
XXX  
  
Logan followed Charles through the mansion and into the   
  
lesser used parts of the old building. "So what's so important it   
  
couldn't wait until after I pulverized that little runt?"  
  
Charles chose to ignore the comment. Despite Logan's gruff   
  
exterior, Charles knew that he saw Scott as a little brother. "I've   
  
had my ear to the ground these past few weeks, Logan, and I think   
  
there's been more appearances."  
  
That pulled Logan up short. "You mean . . . more appearances   
  
of others like us?"  
  
"There have been so few in your generation and mine,"   
  
Charles agreed. "But this new generation is starting to turn out   
  
more and more. I've already begun to construct what, I hope, will be   
  
a training facility. I intent to locate those like us and invite them   
  
here to learn control. Like I did for you and Ororo."  
  
"You think that's such a great idea, Charles?" Logan asked   
  
skeptically. "You'll be drawing attention to yourself and the rest of   
  
us."  
  
"I've already anticipated that," Charles assured him. "It's   
  
either that, Logan, or let him get his hands on them. I'd rather get   
  
there first. Let me show you what I've started."  
  
XXX  
  
Scott ran through the trees surrounding the estate until he   
  
collapsed against one, gasping for breath. He drew his knees to his   
  
chest, trying to calm himself down and decipher what he'd just seen.  
  
Was it possible? Or had he imagined the whole thing? No one   
  
can control the weather, but Ororo looked like she wasn't having   
  
any trouble doing that.  
  
Scott rubbed his eyes, which felt as if they were burning. Did   
  
Charles and Logan know about Ororo? And if so, why didn't they   
  
tell him?  
  
A red haze began to appear around the edges of Scott's vision,   
  
and he rubbed his eyes again. Standing, he decided to return to the   
  
mansion and confront Ororo. She had been a good friend to him   
  
since he'd arrived at the mansion; he knew she wouldn't hurt him.  
  
A sudden surge of energy shot out from Scott's eyes and struck   
  
the tree in front of him. The force of the blast propelled the boy   
  
backwards so fast that he struck his head hard against the tree   
  
behind him and collapsed, unconscious, on the ground.  
  
XXX  
  
It was approaching dinnertime, and Scott had still not   
  
reappeared. Charles frowned, concerned.  
  
"This isn't like him," he insisted. "I wonder what's happened   
  
to him."  
  
"He's nowhere in the house," Ororo reported, having just   
  
returned from her search. "He must be on the grounds somewhere.   
  
If he is, Logan will find him."  
  
The words had barely left her mouth when the front door   
  
burst open and Logan rushed in, cradling Scott in his arms. Scott   
  
still had traces of leaves and dirt of his clothes. Charles and Ororo   
  
approached him.  
  
"Where was he?" Charles demanded.  
  
"In the woods on the other side of the property," Logan   
  
reported. "He seems okay. Got a big bump on the back of his head,   
  
but I can't figure out how it got there."  
  
As they were talking, Scott began to come around. He blinked   
  
his eyes open and looked at the worried faces of the three adults.   
  
"Wh-What's goin' on?"  
  
"We were hoping you could tell us," Charles replied. "Why   
  
were you so far from the mansion?"  
  
"I-I don't remember," Scott answered, alarm starting to build.  
  
"Easy, Scott," Ororo soothed. "Let's get you cleaned up and   
  
looked at. If you feel up to it, you can come back down for dinner."  
  
Logan gently set Scott onto his feet. Unsteady at first, Scott   
  
accepted Ororo's help down the hall to the kitchen.  
  
Once they had gone, Logan turned to Charles. "I also found a   
  
tree branch on the ground a few feet away from where he was. It   
  
looked like it had been blasted off, and fairly recently. It was still   
  
smoking."  
  
"Someone was shooting at him?" Charles concluded,   
  
astonished. "But why?"  
  
"I don't think that was it," Logan told him. "If they were   
  
shooting at him, why fire only once and leave him there? No, it   
  
doesn't make any sense. Besides; the alarms would've been tripped."  
  
"Then what do you suppose happened?" Charles asked.  
  
"I don't know," Logan admitted. "But I'd keep a close eye on   
  
Scott, in case someone is after him."  
  
XXX  
  
A raven flew across the sky, landing on the branch beside   
  
Scott's bedroom window. The dark night sky shielded it from sight   
  
as it suddenly began to grow and change into the figure of a slender   
  
blue woman with red hair, wearing white. She peered through the   
  
window at the face of the sleeping child and frowned, doubtful.  
  
"Are you sure about this?" she whispered.  
  
A gust of wind swept around her. "I am certain. Charles   
  
Xavier doesn't even know about it himself, but I suspected. I   
  
witnessed it this afternoon. He will make a valuable member of our   
  
little team."  
  
The woman nodded. "Then I'll have to make this quick, or   
  
we'll be caught before we make it off the property."  
  
The deep voice answered her. "Then you had best not be   
  
caught."  
  
The woman gritted her teeth. Holding out her hand, she   
  
shifted her hand into a glass cutter and carefully cut a large circle   
  
in the window. Knocking the circle inside, she unlocked the   
  
window and lifted it. Shifting back into a raven, she flew into the   
  
room and settled onto the floor beside the bed, where she regained   
  
her shape. Just as she began to lean over the boy, Scott's eyes flew   
  
open.  
  
Scott yelled upon seeing the strange woman in his room.   
  
Unbidden, red lasers shot from his eyes, connecting with the woman   
  
and sending her crashing through the window and to the ground.   
  
Just as quickly, the light faded away, leaving Scott trembling with   
  
fright.  
  
Logan kicked the door to the bedroom open, strange silver   
  
claws extending from his knuckles. He took one look at Scott, then   
  
dashed to the open window and – to Scott's astonishment- leaped   
  
right out after the intruder!  
  
Ororo and Charles were only minutes behind him. Charles   
  
hurried to Scott's bed, calling back, "Go! You can still catch up!"  
  
Scott turned to Charles, his hazel eyes wide with terror.   
  
Trembling furiously, he threw his arms around Charles' neck.  
  
"It's all right, Scott," Charles soothed, hugging Scott tightly.   
  
"They won't hurt you now. Logan and Ororo are going after them.   
  
Can you tell me who it was?"  
  
"A-A lady," Scott stammered. "Sh-She was blue . . . with red   
  
hair."  
  
Charles tensed up with the news. "Are you sure?"  
  
"Y-Yeah," Scott replied.  
  
Charles tugged on Scott's arm, coaxing him off the bed. "I'll   
  
get someone to fix your window tomorrow, while you're at school,"   
  
he stated. "For tonight, I want you to sleep in the guest room next   
  
to mine. Come on."  
  
Scott obediently followed Charles down the hall, hugging   
  
himself tightly. He didn't know what was happening, and that   
  
frightened him. Maybe he just imagined lasers shooting from his   
  
eyes, or didn't really see Logan jump out of his third-story window   
  
as if it was only a foot high.  
  
Logan and Ororo returned as Charles was settling Scott into   
  
bed. "Whoever it was, they got away," Logan told them, growling   
  
with displeasure.  
  
"Are you all right, Scott?" Ororo asked.  
  
Scott nodded, not trusting himself to speak. Charles gently   
  
brushed Scott's hair off of his forehead.  
  
"Go ahead and get some more sleep," he told Scott. "You'll be   
  
perfectly safe here."  
  
Charles gestured to Logan and Ororo, and led them out into   
  
the hall. He waited until Ororo had closed the door when he spoke.   
  
"It was Mystique."  
  
Ororo gasped, and Logan snarled. "Mystique?" Ororo echoed.   
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"Scott saw her," Charles said simply.  
  
"What does she want with Scott?" Ororo wondered aloud.  
  
"And why didn't she just grab Scott and run?" Logan added.  
  
"I don't know the answers to that," Charles admitted.   
  
"Hopefully, I'll know something tomorrow. I have a suspicion, but I   
  
don't want to say anything until it's been confirmed."  
  
XXX  
  
"Do you really think you ought to let him go to school today,   
  
Charles?" Ororo asked. "After all, if they can reach him here, he   
  
won't be any safer at school."  
  
"I know," Charles said. "That's why I called in a favor last   
  
night. An old friend of mine, Hank McCoy, will be substituting for   
  
Scott's teacher today. He promised to look after Scott until he made   
  
it back to the mansion."  
  
Ororo still didn't feel any better about letting Scott away from   
  
the safety of their watchful eyes, but found little reason to argue   
  
any further. She pushed her doubts to the back of her mind as Scott   
  
entered the room, reaching for a piece of toast and his lunch sack.  
  
"Is it okay if I meet Paul after school?" Scott asked. "We were   
  
going to go to his house to play the latest Playstation game."  
  
A protest arose in Ororo's throat, but she bit it back in   
  
deference to Charles' authority.  
  
"Scott, I know you want to see Paul, but I don't think that   
  
would be a good idea after last night," Charles said gently. "I'd   
  
rather you came straight home today. If you want to invite Paul   
  
over here, though, that would be all right."  
  
Scott considered this, then nodded. "Okay, cool. Thanks,   
  
Charles."  
  
"You're welcome," Charles replied. "Now get your things.   
  
You're going to be late."  
  
Scott rubbed his eyes and went to fetch his backpack. The red   
  
haze had returned to his eyes and refused to leave. He didn't want   
  
to tell anyone about it, believing it to be nothing. He only hoped it   
  
would clear up soon. It was getting a little annoying.  
  
The ride to school was silent, save for the usual comments   
  
exchanged at the school entrance. Scott met up with Paul by the   
  
door, and the two boys walked in together. Charles scanned the   
  
crowd and found a short, stocky man with glasses watching him.   
  
They nodded to one another, and Ororo drove off.  
  
XXX  
  
Scott rubbed his eyes for what seemed like the millionth time.   
  
The red haze in front of his eyes had not gone away; if anything, it   
  
was getting thicker. Scott was worried; he didn't know what it was,   
  
and didn't know how to cure it. Maybe if he splashed water on his   
  
eyes?  
  
Raising his hand, Scott got permission to go to the restroom.   
  
He walked as fast as he could down the hall and disappeared into   
  
the bathroom, locking the door behind him. Looking in the mirror,   
  
he was startled to see that a shimmering red glow had appeared in   
  
front of each eye. Try as he might, no amount of water or rubbing   
  
dispersed the mysterious glow.  
  
Scott began to gasp for breath, feeling his heart start to race.   
  
His eyes were starting to tingle, and something told him that that   
  
wasn't a good sign. Backing up into the wall, Scott sank to the   
  
ground and hugged his knees tightly to his chest. Closing his eyes,   
  
Scott buried his face in his knees and tried to figure out what to do   
  
next.  
  
Suddenly, the metal fixtures in the bathroom began to rattle   
  
ominously. Scott lifted his head and looked around for the source   
  
of the disturbance. A shadowy figure appeared on the other side of   
  
the window in the bathroom; it looked like a man in a helmet and   
  
cape, hovering in the air.  
  
"Do not be afraid, Scott," a deep voice said. "I'm here to help   
  
you."  
  
"Wh-Who are you?" Scott asked. "How do you know my   
  
name?"  
  
"I've been watching you, Scott," the man replied. "I'm very   
  
impressed with your abilities, and I've come to make you an offer."  
  
"Abilities?" Scott repeated. "What are you talking about?   
  
What offer?"  
  
A sudden pounding on the door to the bathroom made Scott   
  
jump. "Scott? Are you in there? Open the door."  
  
It was Mr. McCoy. "Scott, unlock the door and let me in."  
  
"Don't listen to him, Scott," the strange man ordered. "Come   
  
with me, and I'll give you all the answers you need."  
  
The pounding on the door was becoming more furious. Scott   
  
felt panic start to well up in the pit of his stomach. Before he could   
  
do anything else, two powerful beams, one from each eye, shot out   
  
and sliced through the wall like it didn't exist. Unlike before, they   
  
didn't go away. Scott turned his head, and the beams followed his   
  
line of sight, destroying everything in their path.  
  
The door suddenly broke off of its hinges, and Hank McCoy   
  
ran into the room. "Scott, close your eyes!"  
  
Scott did as he was told, but it was too late. The bathroom   
  
ceiling, unable to be supported by the damaged walls, started to   
  
collapse. Hank swept down on Scott and gathered him up, then ran   
  
for the doorway. Just as they left the bathroom, large chunks of   
  
concrete landed where Scott had been sitting.  
  
The boy was unusually silent in his arms. Hank set him down,   
  
then knelt before him and gripped his arms. "Scott, I know you're   
  
scared and confused right now, but you're going to be okay. Just   
  
keep your eyes closed."  
  
Scott didn't answer. Hank could feel him trembling beneath   
  
his grip. He knew he needed to get Scott out of the building, which   
  
was already being evacuated due to the sudden destruction of the   
  
bathroom.  
  
Hank guided Scott through the crowd with a firm hand,   
  
dodging the jumble of confused questions. Keeping a careful eye   
  
out for anymore unwanted visitors, Hank bundled Scott up into his   
  
car and hurried to drive him home.  
  
Logan, Ororo, and Charles were waiting for him just outside   
  
the front door. They didn't speak a word; just herded Scott into the   
  
mansion and down the same unused corridor that Charles and   
  
Logan had walked just the day before. Charles led the way into a   
  
newly furnished clinic and directed Hank to lay Scott onto a bed on   
  
the far side of the room.  
  
"Scott's got the advanced X-gene," Charles explained to   
  
everyone present. "My latest invention, Cerebro, detected it when   
  
Scott's powers emerged at school. That must be why Mystique   
  
wanted him."  
  
He leaned over Scott and worked his hand into Scott's tightly   
  
squeezed fists. "Scott, if you can hear me, squeeze my hand."  
  
It was barely noticeable, but it was there.  
  
"Scott, I know you're very confused, and scared at the   
  
moment," Charles continued. "I will explain everything to you, I   
  
promise. Right now, I'm going to place a bandage over your eyes to   
  
help you keep them shut. It won't be permanent; just until I can   
  
find something to shield your optic lasers from everyone."  
  
Scott didn't respond. It seemed that the sudden shock and   
  
terror he had experienced had driven him right back into his head,   
  
shut off from everyone around him. Charles hoped that this sudden   
  
and overwhelming change wouldn't cause a major setback in the   
  
progress Scott had made in the last four years.  
  
"There's something else," Hank spoke up. "He was there."  
  
The adults turned to him, alarmed. "At the school?" Ororo   
  
asked.  
  
Hank nodded. "I had just excused Scott to go to the restroom   
  
when everything metal in the classroom began to rattle. I think he   
  
was trying to get to Scott."  
  
Charles tightly gripped Scott's hand, soaking in the new   
  
information. "We'll deal with this one step at a time. First things   
  
first; I need to get to work to help Scott with his powers. Logan, see   
  
what you can find out at the school. We need to be prepared if he   
  
decides to pay us another visit. Ororo, go with him."  
  
The two adults turned sharply and hastened from the room.   
  
Charles looked at Hank and led him to the other side of the room.  
  
"Hank, thank you," Charles said gratefully. "I'm glad you   
  
were there watching over him today. I'd hate to think what   
  
would've happened if no one was there when his powers appeared."  
  
"I owed you several favors," Hank replied. "Whatever I can do   
  
to pay them back, just let me know."  
  
"Come by and visit us some time, my friend," Charles told him.  
  
Hank smiled and, shaking hands with Charles, left the room.  
  
XXX  
  
By the time the sun had set, Logan and Ororo had returned   
  
from Scott's school with nothing to report to Charles. The most that   
  
anyone knew was that, for no apparent reason, the ceiling in the   
  
boy's restroom had collapsed. Fortunately, no one had been injured.   
  
And Scott's mysterious visitor had vanished without a trace, but   
  
there was no doubt in anyone's mind as to who he was.  
  
Charles had brought Scott into his study and had gently   
  
settled him into an overstuffed chair. Logan and Ororo were also   
  
gathered in the room, knowing that they had to be there for the   
  
discussion that had to happen.   
  
"I owe you an apology, Scott," Charles began. "We've been   
  
keeping a secret from you- not because we don't trust you. We just   
  
wanted to be sure you were ready to hear it."  
  
Scott folded his hands onto his lap. "Does this have   
  
something to do with the lasers that came out of my eyes?" he asked,   
  
his voice soft.  
  
Charles nodded, though Scott couldn't see him through the   
  
bandages still covering his eyes. "That's right," he answered,   
  
silently relieved that Scott was speaking again. "You see, you, me,   
  
Ororo, and Logan all have something in common. It makes us all   
  
special, because it gives us certain . . . abilities that not a lot of other   
  
people have."  
  
"What is it?" Scott whispered.  
  
"It's called an advanced X-gene," Charles answered him. "The   
  
cells in our bodies have DNA; you know this from school. Well,   
  
there's quite a lot we still don't know about our genes; most of them   
  
lie dormant. Do you know what that means?"  
  
Scott fidgeted, frowning as he thought. "They're asleep?"  
  
"Right," Charles said, injecting praise into his tone. "They're   
  
asleep. Well, for some reason, when some people reach a certain   
  
age, one of their genes wakes up. It's called the advanced X-gene.   
  
It's also considered to be a mutation."  
  
"I'm a mutant?" Scott asked with dismay.  
  
"We all are," Ororo assured him. "It's not a bad thing at all,   
  
Scott. They've come in handy for us a few times."  
  
"Then how come you guys aren't shooting lasers out of your   
  
eyes?" Scott demanded, his tone accusing.  
  
"The mutations are different for everyone," Charles explained.   
  
"Some people may have similar mutations; they're usually found as   
  
family members. For the most part, however, everyone does   
  
something different. I, for example, am telepathic. I have the ability   
  
to read your thoughts, and can project my own thoughts into your   
  
head."  
  
Scott was stunned. "You can?"  
  
Charles' voice echoed inside Scott's head. *Yes, I can. I may   
  
contact you this way more often, now that you know. But I never   
  
read anyone's thoughts without their express permission.*  
  
"Whoa!" Scott exclaimed.  
  
Ororo chuckled. Scott's face turned in her direction. "What   
  
about you, Ororo? What can you do?"  
  
"I can control the weather," Ororo sated simply. "Nothing   
  
quite as drastic as changing world weather patterns, but I can   
  
control the environment around me."  
  
Scott tried to turn his head to Logan, but couldn't hear him in   
  
the room. "Logan? Are you there?"  
  
Logan stepped closer. "Yeah, Runt, and I know what you're   
  
gonna say. I'm able to heal faster than anyone else."  
  
Scott frowned. "But what about those metal claws I saw?"  
  
"When did you see that?" Logan shot back.  
  
Scott shrank back in his chair. "Last night, when you ran into   
  
my room. Right before you jumped out of my window."  
  
"Not exactly subtle, were you?" Ororo teased Logan.  
  
Logan snorted. "As if there was time for subtlety."  
  
"Logan has advanced regenerative powers, which means that,   
  
when injured, he can heal completely in a fraction of the time as   
  
you or me," Charles clarified for Scott. "Unfortunately, there are   
  
people out in the world who will exploit our abilities for their own   
  
purposes. That was what happened to Logan. Someone took him   
  
and replaced his skeleton with one made entirely of adamantium,   
  
the one substance said to be indestructible. Those claws you saw   
  
are an extension of that."  
  
Scott sat silently; to silently for the adults' liking.  
  
"It seems like an awful lot now," Ororo pointed out, moving to   
  
kneel beside Scott. "We know exactly what you're going through   
  
right now, and we'll help you."  
  
"That's right," Charles agreed. "I helped Ororo and Logan to   
  
adapt comfortably to their powers; I most certainly will do the same   
  
for you. In fact, I'm opening the mansion up as a school for other   
  
mutants, like us. They will also need guidance and training in the   
  
use of their new powers. Given time, you will be able to function   
  
just as well as if you didn't have powers at all."  
  
"But ya gotta keep a lid on it, Runt," Logan warned him.   
  
"This is our secret, and the rest of the world isn't gonna be able to   
  
handle us just yet. Deal?"  
  
Scott slowly nodded. Something still appeared to be   
  
bothering him, and Charles tilted his head to the side. "Scott? Go   
  
ahead and ask. It's all right."  
  
Scott sighed. "Will I ever be able to open my eyes normally   
  
again?" he asked, fear creeping into his voice.  
  
Charles exchanged glances with Logan and Ororo. "Not at   
  
first, Scott," he told the boy truthfully. "I need to run some tests   
  
and see what can withstand the power of your lasers. I imagine, as   
  
you grow older, they're going to become even stronger. I promise   
  
you, though, that one day, I will make it so you can open your eyes   
  
again."  
  
Scott nodded again. It wasn't the answer he was looking for,   
  
but he knew that it was the best answer he was going to get.  
  
"C'mon, Runt, it's time for bed," Logan said, changing the   
  
subject. "Your room's all ready for ya. I'll take ya there."  
  
Scott bid Charles and Ororo good night, then let out a gasp as   
  
Logan swung him up onto his back and carried him, piggyback-  
  
style, down the hall to his room.  
  
Logan dropped Scott unceremoniously into his bed, then   
  
threw a pair of pajamas at Scott, striking him square on the face.   
  
"Good night, kid," he said, turning to leave.  
  
"Logan?"  
  
The quiet, uncertain call pulled Logan up short. He looked at   
  
Scott, eyebrow raised. "Yeah?"  
  
Scott pushed his pajamas aside and tipped his head down.   
  
"Isn't it kinda scary?"  
  
Logan closed the door to Scott's room and sat beside the boy   
  
on the bed. "What, havin' powers?"  
  
Scott nodded.  
  
Logan sighed, considering his answer. "Yeah, at first, it was   
  
kinda scary. Strange things goin' on, and nobody to tell me why or   
  
how. I thought I was gonna go crazy until Charles showed up and   
  
explained everything to me. Now, it's all right. I don't know how I'd   
  
live without them, now."  
  
Scott began to pick at his blanket. "Aren't you afraid . . . of   
  
hurting somebody?"  
  
Logan sensed that this was the real question Scott had been   
  
trying to ask him. "Of course. These things aren't to be taken   
  
lightly. With our powers comes a lot of responsibility to do the   
  
right thing, especially if we don't want to. You'll feel a lot better   
  
when you've had some training to control those blasters of yours.   
  
But you can't ever use them unless you're in real danger, or unless   
  
Charles, Ororo, or I tell you to. Got it?"  
  
Scott smiled faintly. "Sir, yes sir."  
  
Logan ruffled Scott's hair and stood. "Wise guy. Now get to   
  
bed before I tie you up in your blanket."  
  
Scott laughed slightly and stood, scrambling to change his   
  
clothes. He heard Logan leave and quickly changed into his   
  
pajamas, then crawled into bed. His thoughts swirled around in his   
  
brain, chasing one after the other. So much had happened in so   
  
little time.  
  
He was a mutant.  
  
He lived with other mutants.  
  
But he couldn't tell anyone, not even Paul.  
  
Scott sighed tiredly as he felt sleep descend upon him. Life   
  
certainly got more and more interesting with Charles as his father.  
  
The End  
  
___________________________  
  
email: nkala99@hotmail.com 


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